Top Stories

Election season continues to heat up in Calhoun County with another candidate stepping forward. Sky Scott has announced plans to run for Supervisor of Elections. The seat is currently held by Margie Laramore who says she does plan to seek re-election.

A new candidate has stepped forward to seek the Calhoun County Commission seat for district 3. Nick Stone filed his letter of intent last week to run for this office. The seat is currently held by Don Miller. Also running is Jeral Hall, who previously served in this post.

TALLAHASSEE -- Kimberly Nakia Lewis, 31, of Sneads, Florida, and Christopher Lamont Shorter, 33, of Quincy, were arrested today on an indictment charging them with conspiracy to defraud the United States in the filing of false 2008 and 2009 income tax returns.

The indictment alleges that, while employed with the Florida Department of Corrections, Lewis used the department’s database to obtain the names and social security numbers of inmates for use in a scheme to file fraudulent federal income tax returns. According to the indictment, Lewis gave the information to Shorter, who used it, without the inmates’ knowledge or consent, to file fraudulent income tax returns in the inmates’ names. Shorter then arranged for the refunds issued on the returns to be deposited at credit unions throughout Tallahassee, in accounts opened in the name of “Complete Solutions Tax Services,” a business Shorter established in 2008.

The indictment also charges Shorter with 25 counts of filing false claims against the United States, seven counts of wire fraud, 18 counts of mail fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft, in connection with the scheme. Lewis is charged with four counts of false claims, seven counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

If convicted, the defendants face maximum sentences of ten years in prison for conspiracy, five years’ imprisonment on each count of false claims, and twenty years for each count of wire and mail fraud. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of two years’ imprisonment, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence.
Trial is scheduled for April 2, 2012.

Pamela C. Marsh, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, whose joint investigation led to the indictment in this case.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Winifred Acosta NeSmith.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Sixteen Air Commandos from Hurlburt Field are ruck marching to honor our fallen Special Operations warriors and to raise money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Calhoun and Liberty countians are urged to line State Road 20 Monday afternoon to cheer them on!

The march will begin Sunday at Hurlburt Field, FL, home of Air Force Special Operations Command. The route will go along Hwy. 20 through Niceville, Freeport, Blountstown, Bristol, and Hosford. They plan to pass through Calhoun and Liberty counties on the afternoon of Monday, Feb. 13.

The Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce invites the community to support the march by lining the streets and making signs that show support. The Commandos will enter Calhoun County just before noon, reach Hungry Howie's by 3 p.m., then march through downtown Blountstown and on into Liberty.

GAME NIGHT: The Altha Wildcats host the Liberty County Bulldogs in basketball Friday night. Game time is 6 p.m. for J.V., followed by varsity at 7:30.

ROMANTIC EVENING: The Panhandle Pioneer Settlement invites you to an elegant evening of scrumptious confections and classical chamber music and romantic favorites on Saturday, February 4, at 6:30 pm. CST. Enjoy a delicious buffet with live music. Cost for the event is $20 per couple and $15 per individual. Call 850-674-2777 for ticket reservations.

SELL YOUR GOODS: The River Valley Marketplace is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon in the greenspace next to Centennial Bank. Booth spaces are free and open to artists, crafters, farmers, gardeners, bakers, and business vendors. No flea market items permitted. Just show up and choose your own space, first come, first serve.

PREACH ON: A Black History Preaching Tournament will be held at Prayer Chainer's Church Feb. 3 & 4 beginning at 6:00 p.m. nightly with Evangelist Peterson. Contact Pastor G.B. Sheard at 674-8623, Le'Tonya Reed, 850-272-2482, Marjorie Peterson, 674-3449, or the Prayer Chainer's Mission of God Church, 674-5548 for more details.

A single vehicle crash in Altha Thursday night sent two people to the hospital.

Ethan W. Noblin, 20, of Marianna, and Chelsea A. Walker, 17, of Altha, were transported to Calhoun-Liberty Hospital with minor injuries following the accident.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash occurred just before 10 p.m. on Chipola Street in Altha. Noblin was reportedly behind the wheel of a 2008 Nissan Altima traveling east on CR 274. He allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of SR 71 and entered Chipola Street. The vehicle traveled one block east, drifted left, and entered the north shoulder, striking a utility pole and fence at 25590 NE
Pennington Street. The car crossed Pennington Street, then collided with a mobile home at 15860 NE Chipola Street. The vehicle was totaled.

Trooper R. Cox investigated and noted alcohol was a factor in the crash. However, the only charges filed at this time are for reckless driving.

Blountstown Tiger fans, basketball players, cheerleaders and even some aspiring little cheerleaders put on their favorite pink outfits Friday night for the Hoops for Hope game to benefit the fight against breast cancer.
[Full Story »]

Election results are in with Mitt Romney being declared Florida's winner in the Republican Presidential Preference Primary. However, in Calhoun County, Newt Gingrich was the forerunner with 41.63 percent of the votes. The totals for Calhoun County are as follows:

A bicyclist from Marianna is in critical condition after colliding with a van in Calhoun County Monday.

Mark F. Long, 48, was transported to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital following the accident.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Rajesh G. Patel, 55, of Vidalia, Georgia, was behind the wheel of a 1999 Chrysler van headed north on County Road 167 just before 6 p.m. Near the intersection of Walter Potts Road, Patel approached Long who was also northbound on his bicycle. Patel reportedly attempted to overtake the bicyclist on the left, but Long changed course and traveled from the outside of the lane to the center. The right front of the van collided with the rear of the bicycle, ejecting long onto the east shoulder.

Patel and his passenger, Hansa Patel, 55, did not sustain any injuries.
The accident is being investigated by Trooper Dallas Jones.

Two Liberty County teens were arrested Sunday after allegedly stealing a school bus and taking it on a joyride.

The girls, ages 13 and 15, were taken into custody and charged with grand theft of a vehicle and trespassing on school grounds.

According to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office, a Hosford woman called around 11 p.m. to report the girls had pulled up in her yard to speak with her son and told him they had taken a school bus. The girls drove off, honking as they left and continuing on their joyride. Several deputies responded, searching from Hosford to Orange. Sgt. Jamie Shiver located the girls just after 11:30 p.m. at Hwy. 65 and Old Blue Creek Road and initiated a traffic stop. The girls smelled of alcohol and admitted they had been drinking after stealing liquor from the father of one of the girls.

The bus had been stolen from Hosford School. The girls were turned over to their parents with a notice to appear in court.

A Blountstown man is behind bars on a long list of charges following a traffic stop in the early morning hours Saturday.

James Russell Johnson, 29, has been charged with possession of meth, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a concealed weapon by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and driving while his license is suspended or revoked with knowledge.

According to the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office, Dep. Jody Hoagland received a tip that Johnson was driving with a suspended license and might be in possession of illegal drugs. Dep. Hoagland and Dep. John Scheetz spotted Johnson pull into a local convenience store parking lot just after 2 a.m. After verifying his license was suspended and noting his tag light had a bulb hanging, Dep. Hoagland initiated a traffic stop. Johnson appeared to conceal something between the seats as he stepped from the truck. He was also caught tossing a small blue container under the vehicle.

During a search, Dep. Scheetz retrieved the container beneath the truck that was found to contain meth. Brass knuckles were found in Johnson's back pocket and a loaded magazine was discovered in his front pocket. A firearm was located beneath the seat in the truck. Two round cylinder containers were found between the seats with suspected meth inside. A handgun was discovered in the same spot with a live round in the chamber.

Johnson remains in custody at the Calhoun County Jail with bond set at $13,000.